Two conmen who posed as cops, extorted Rs 1.66L, arrested

Vadodara: Two conmen, who posed as police officers and extorted Rs 1.66 lakh from an elderly victim threatening that he would be implicated in a rape case, were arrested by Sama police.
According to police sources, the conmen had targeted Yogesh Shah, a resident of Sama-Savli Road, who was returning from Nimeta gardens on Ajwa Road on February 4.

When Shah was returning from the Nimeta gardens, a woman had asked for a lift on his two-wheeler. After the duo reached a certain distance, the victim was stopped by a gang of four accused who were travelling in an auto rickshaw.

The fake police officers then threatened the complainant that he would be implicated in a case for raping the woman, who was riding pillion on the two-wheeler. The panicked victim gave the conmen Rs 1.66 lakh including cash from his home and money that he had withdrawn using his ATM card, police sources said.

Three days later, the conmen again contacted the victim and demanded more money from him. The accused had sought the money from the victim on Thursday night.

When two of the accused came to extort money from the victim, they were nabbed by Sama police. The two accused who have been arrested by Sama police include Salim Sheikh, 58, a resident of Sangam quarters near Ektanagar on Ajwa Road and Dawood Ghanchi, a resident of Khumbharwalu faliyo in Tarsali.

The duo have been arrested under section 388 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for extortion by threat of accusation of an offence and sections 171 and 120 (B) of the IPC for wearing garb used by public servant and criminal conspiracy.

Cops are also in search of three other accused including Thakor Patel, a resident of Gorwa village, Anil Rana, a resident of Fatehgunj and the unidentified woman, who is nearly 35 years of age.

The cops are investigating whether the gang was involved in other such crimes where conmen dupe victims on one or another pretext and extort money from them.